Always on the lookout for films that resonate with the mission of the Levantine Cultural Center, I recently discovered Help Wanted, a short film that was screened at the 2009 Artivist Film Festival in Hollywood. Rather than spoof or stereotype the immigrant experience, Help Wanted humanizes the timeless, multilayered process of adopting a new country, and concisely—in 13 minutes to be exact—addresses with nuance the inevitable challenges of exchanging homelands.

Producer Michel BayanImmigration and identity are subjects with which the film's Armenian-Moroccan-American producer Michel Bayan is familiar. His own parents left their national homelands to make their lives in the U.S. Having grown up as a "hyphenated American" with family scattered across continents, Bayan demonstrates great sensitivity to the immigrant's inner and outer journey.

For Bayan, getting involved in Help Wanted was a "no brainer." Playing into his purpose as a multi-ethnic artist in the age of globalization—to reveal the tragedies and triumphs of the immigrant—the film takes an up-close look at immigration and identity through the character of Ramon, a hardworking Mexican-American auto mechanic who is harried by angry customers (one of whom is played by Bayan) at work, and is disconnected from his family at home.

"Help Wanted"A striking feature of Help Wanted is how readily and strongly the audience identifies with Ramon as he tries to find a way to reconcile an old life with the new. Isolation, disenchantment, peace-making, and transformation are the dominating themes, and the subject matter is identifiable not only to Mexican-Americans in Los Angeles but to all of L.A.'s myriad ethnic communities and beyond. Through the character of Ramon, we're reminded that happiness is a matter of perspective, and the desire for a fulfilling life is a thread that connects us all.

Help Wanted illustrates Bayan's belief that film can be used to cultivate awareness and understanding across national, racial, and ethnic borders. Bayan gleans creative inspiration from the global assortment and intermingling of cultures, which he reveals as producer of this film. Through the aptly named Mingling Media, a multimedia production company, Bayan and his crew utilize innovative ways of merging creativity with cutting edge technology to foster his mission.

Help Wanted premiered at the 2008 Elevate Film Festival, brought home three awards (for Best Narrative Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay), and is currently under submission in film festivals around the world. For more information, visit http://minglingmedia.com.